Bunk



R. G. THOMAS Jan. 30, 1934.

BUNK

Filed April '6. 1952 s sheets-sheet l Raym'cm @.Thomas. I mvENToR 'BY/@ffm ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1934. R G, THOMAS 1,944,909

BUNK

Filed April 6, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY BUNK Filed April 6, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F'i- 7 H5. g

HP l/ /5 I Z0 nw I U` l 45 L: Q) f l Ab INVENTOR BY/LL//-M ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934i PATENTl Application April 6, 1932.

7 Claims.

Serial No. 603,598

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) rihe invention relates broadly to a bunk and more particularly to a folding bunk.

An object of invention is the provision of a bunk that is adaptable for use on board ship, 5 in labor and hunting camps, in hospitals, and other like places where the conservation of space is desirable.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a folding bunk that may be quickly and easily suspended from a ceiling of a room or upper deck of a ship Without disarrangement of the bunk bedding.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a bunk that may be arranged with others k to form atier, which tier may be suspended overhead in the minimum of space.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists in the construction, combi nation and arrangements of parts as will be described more fully hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this speciication, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and

in which Figure 1 is an end view of a tier'of bunks constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a tier of bunks showing in dotted lines how it is swung into inoperative position,

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3*-3 of Figure 1,

Figure l is an enlarged view of one of the ceiling hooks showing a bunk suspended thereby.

Figure 5 is a side view of one of the cam mechanisms for raising the bunk stanchions,

Figure 6 is an edge view, partly in section and partly broken away, of one of the cams and bunk stanchions,

Figure 7 is a top view of one of the cams, and

Figure 8 is a detail, partly broken away, of the lower portion of one of the stanchions.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates supporting stanchions for cross-mem bers 2 to which the bunk frames 3 are attached. The stanohions are suspended from above by suitable brackets 4 firmly secured to a fixed upper member of the structure in which the bunks are installed, and are adapted to be raised a short distance from the floor or deck by cam mechanisms to be described later. The cross-members 2 span the end stanchions, there being none along the sides. It will be noted from Figure 1 lthat the upper cross-members are secured in the stanchions by washers 5 made fast in any suitable manner to the cross-members, and that the intermediate and lower ones are prevented from becoming detached from the stanchions by nuts 6 and off -set portions 7 in the cross-members them- :3 0 selves. Thel olf-set portions in the lower crossmembers are preferably larger than the ones in the intermediate members so as to permit proper nesting of the bunks when they are swung into inoperative position. The bunk frames 3 are 65 secured to the cross-members by substantially S-shaped hooks 8, the upper portions 9 of the hooks being free to turn about the cross-members, and the lower portions 10 of which are attached to the bunk frames by passing bolts llthrough the two members. This arrangement permits the bunks always to assume a horizontal plane, thereby maintaining the bunk bedding in a neat and orderly condition during movement of the tier of bunks to stow them overhead.

It is desirable that each of the stanchions be provided kwith a rubber or padded foot 12 so as not to mar or scratch the base upon which they rest while the bunks are in position to be occupied. As shown in Figure 8 those feet 80 are formed preferably with an extension 13 that is inserted in and secured to the tubular stanchion, although it will be understood that other types of feet may be employed.

Before swinging the supporting stanchions upwardly towards the upper deck of a vessel or ceiling of a room so that they may be folded out of the way, it is necessary that they be slightly elevated from the base. This is accomplished by cam mechanisms connecting the upper por- 9o tions of each of the stanchions with the brackets. Each of the cam mechanisms is substantially U-shaped and each consists of a body member 14 having broadened legs 15. The mecha nism is secured to the bracket 4 by passing a 95 bolt 16 through suitably alined openings in the said member and the bracket, and through elongated openings 17 in the stanchion. A second bolt 18 vertically below bolt 16 passes through the stanchion and engages in arcuate slots 19 100 in the broadened portions of the legs of the body member. When the body member is caused to pivot about bolt 16 by pressure being applied to a handle 20 that is connected to said member in any suitable manner, the stanchion is elevated due to the action of bolt 18 in slots 19.

After the stanchions have been raised from the floor or deck as above described, they may be swung upwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, and suspended overhead by hooks 21 1,10

sai

secured to the upper member of the building structure.

I have thus provided a bunk arrangement that may be quickly and easily stowed overhead when not in use thereby conserving needed space in cramped quarters. As the bunks are always maintained in a horizontal plane, the bedding does not become disarranged, so no additional time or labor is necessary in arranging the bunks for occupancy.

It will be understood that the above 'description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

The herein described invention may be manuactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalties thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A bunk structure including stanchions, crossmembers therebetween, bunk frames, means suspending said frames from the cross-members, supporting brackets for the stanchions, and cam connections between the brackets and stanchions for vertically lifting the stanchions and securing them in frictional engagement with a base when in a lowered position.

2. A bunk tier including stanchions hingedly connected to upper supports and adapted to be swung upwardly to a horizontal position, vertically aligned cross-members therebetween, means by which the cross-members are mounted in the stanchions for axial rotation, the lower ones being progressivelydownwardly offset between their ends, bunk frames, suspending means pivoted some on the upper cross-member and others on the offset portions of the cross-members and connected to the respective ends of the individual bunk frames whereby when the stanchions are swung to horizontal position the bunks may be received in the oi'set in compact horizontal relation, and means for lifting the stanchions to permit easy movement.

3. A bunk structure including stanchions,

cross-members therebetween, bunk frames suspended from the cross-members, brackets hingedly supporting the stanchions at their upper ends, and means pivotally supported by the brackets and operable upon the stanchions whereby vertical movement is imparted to the stanchions when said means is pivoted in one direction and securing the stanchions in rictional engagement with a base when pivoted in another direction.

4. A bunk structure including stanchions, brackets supporting the stanchions at their upper ends, said stanchions having a vertical and a pivotal mo-vement with respect to the brackets, and means supported by the brackets to secure the stanchions in frictional engagement with a base when in a lowered position and to lift them to ree them for the pivotal movement.

5. A bunk structure including stanchions pivotally connected to a superstructure, superposed cross-members axially rotatable in the stanchions, the lower ones being progressively downwardly offset between their ends, bunk frames, hangers pivotally mounted on the cross-members and xedly secured to the individual ends of the bunk frames whereby the bunk frames will be maintained in a horizontal position regardless of the position of the stanchions, and means for lifting the stanchions for pivotal movement, said means also securing them in frictional engagement with a base when in their lowered position.

6. A bunk tier, including stanchions adapted to be swung to a horizontal position, cross-members axially rotatable therebetween, the lower ones of the cross-members being provided with an off-set portion of greater depth than the next preceding one, bunk frames, hangers swingedly supported from the cross-members and iXedly secured to said frames, brackets hingedly Supporting the stanchions, and means for lifting the stanchions to permit easy movement thereof.

'7. In a bunk tier structure, stanchions adapted to be swung from a vertical to a horizontal position, cross-members between the stanchions, bunk frames, hangers swingedly supported from the cross-members and Xedly secured to the frames, said bunk frames being always parallel to each other and to the plane or" the pivots of the stanchiens, and means for lifting the stanchions to permit easy movement thereof.

RAYMOND G, THOMAS. 

